Some noises ruin the underwater experience

[ava]

I've noticed from several gameplay videos that some of the sounds made by the creatures wouldn't be heard underwater.

Here's what I'm taking about (Skip to 5:16): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Czxb5EfcLdQ
And here (Skip to 9:03): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AEiIDGTEiO0
That sounds like a tiger or lion roaring.
You should not be able to hear that whilst underwater.
I know it's a video game so it can have its own rules.

What makes the big blue ocean so intimidating IRL is that you can't hear sharks and other dangerous creatures coming. You would only find out that a shark is nearby because you are either constantly turning around to make sure you're safe, or you just felt a sharp pain and there's blood everywhere, or you felt something bump into you, or there was a strong current nearby as the shark swims by.

Sharks don't roar. If that creature didn't make any sounds instead of roaring, you would be reluctant to go deeper into the ocean. For me that would be an extra challenge as I would be forced to delve deep into danger. I don't know how much this game intends to be scary, but the fear of silent underwater predators (i.e. all creatures, not some) would make me want to play this game even more.

I think this is my only complaint about the game so far.
Is the world randomly/procedurally generated?

Also, has anyone play Ecco the Dolphin?
Many years ago I enjoyed exploring the ocean in that game. It would have been boring without the sharks, and the sharks certainly didn't roar.

[mccanlessjc]

alien planet maybe they had adapted to make sounds or maybe your suit has external microphone to pick up even small sounds.

[Phaota]

I do agree that roaring sounds would not be heard underwater, no matter what planet you are on. High pitched whistles and squeaks, low pitched thumps, bumps, burps, bangs, booms and vibrations, yes.

[Donttouchmyhohos]

Can't hear whales?

[Hakke]

agreed - it sounds wrong underwater

[DJ-Miller]

Originally posted by XOR:

Also, has anyone play Ecco the Dolphin?
Many years ago I enjoyed exploring the ocean in that game. It would have been boring without the sharks, and the sharks certainly didn't roar.

Depends on the Ecco game. In Defender of the Future sharks roared when they died, and some of the Foe aliens roared. The Foe Queen used a pretty generic stock roar. For most of the game though, the wildlife was pretty quiet. Only thing that really made noise were the sharks would make gurgling sounds when attacking, and the Foe aliens would hiss/growl/roar/whatever other creepy sound. In the Genesis games, creatures pretty much never made sounds. All you really had was the music, and the 'TWANG' sound Ecco makes when he gets hit.

I do love a lot of the sound design in Subnautica but I agree, the less generic roars, the better. I hate when games use generic lion/tiger/stock roars for sounds. I didn't like it when Ecco did it, and it's easily the worst part of the sound design in Subnautica so far. Stalkers seem to be the creatures that make the most stock of the sounds, which is very clearly a Tiger roar with some bubbling sounds added to the end of it.

[Roboshark31]

Sound actually moves faster in water than air that’s why if your swimming in the ocean you can see a boat in the distance moving but can hear it if you dip your head under water

[Plague Doctor]

what the heck is it doing at first suggestion page

[Jacob Locke]

I think it's important to remember it's a game. It needs to be fun. Not everything needs to be realistic. Quite the opposite actually. I play games to escape reality.

IMO the sounds are one of the best parts of the game. Realistic or not.

[Winter]

loud music sometimes ruins immersion, so I've made it like 25 out of 100

[Avelarius]

One thing is hearing the roar in the distance or with the levy in sight very far. Another thing is the jump scare when it hugs your moth and you can only blink the lights in hopes it will let go of it before it's destroyed.

The tail of the reaper is like the one of a whale. Maybe it was a mammal long ago and kept the lungs. With water bursting through the vocal cords, any sound is possible.

I believe it has a thorax.

Hope it helps your immersion. Mine is absolute.

[Bandi10xx]

Idk about reasoning for the stalker but the leviathan uses sonar to see you because the leviathan is blind (not sure if it is blind but i think so)